O's edge Yanks with trio of homers in Bundy's start
TAMPA, Fla. -- Chris Johnson, Pedro Alvarez and Aneury Tavarez each homered to power the Orioles past the Yankees, 5-4, on Saturday at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
Alvarez gave Baltimore its first lead of the afternoon in the seventh inning, launching a full-count offering from left-hander Tommy Layne to right-center field. Johnson hit a two-run blast to highlight a three-run fourth inning against starter Carsten Sabathia.
Alvarez also contributed a fourth-inning RBI single off Sabathia, who allowed three hits, a walk and struck out five. Sabathia threw 41 of 65 pitches for strikes in his third start of the spring, reducing the left-hander's ERA from 13.50 to 9.45.
• Alvarez sees first action in right field
"I felt good. Obviously I want to make some better pitches there at the end with the lefty [Alvarez] to get that last out, but I thought overall I felt pretty good," Sabathia said. "I thought the changeup was good, I thought the cutter was good for the most part today. It feels like it's coming along pretty good."
• CC: Yanks' 2017 rotation will surprise people
Jacoby Ellsbury knocked a run-scoring single and Gary Sanchez slashed a two-run double in the Yankees' three-run third inning off Orioles starter Dylan Bundy, who scattered four hits over four innings. Bundy walked three and struck out one in his fourth outing of the spring, throwing 41 of 62 pitches for strikes.
"I'm happy to get the pitch count up there. Overall, I think it was better than last outing as far as command, especially the last couple of innings," Bundy said.
In Bundy's previous start, he allowed five runs in two innings against Minnesota.
Billy McKinney tied the game in the eighth with his third home run of the spring, a solo shot off Tyler Wilson. Tavarez restored Baltimore's lead in the ninth with a solo shot off Ernesto Frieri, who was making his Yankees debut.
Orioles Up Next: The Orioles host the Tigers at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota on Sunday at 1:05 p.m. ET. Right-hander Kevin Gausman, the Orioles' likely Opening Day starter, is scheduled to start. Gausman has allowed two earned runs on four hits in five spring innings. Watch the game live on MLB.TV.
Yankees Up Next: The Yankees will travel across the state on Sunday, visiting the Astros in West Palm Beach, Fla. Adam Warren is scheduled to start for the Yankees at 1:05 p.m. ET, with Luis Severino expected to work in relief. New York's lineup will include Matthew Holliday, Chase Headley and Brett Gardner. Watch the game live on MLB.TV.
Watch every out-of-market regular-season game live on MLB.TV.